Shoe-upper.



No. 877,075. PATENTED JAN. 21, 1908.

W. M. GRIFFIN.

SHOE UPPER.

APPLICATION FILED BEPT.25.1907.

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WAYNE M. GRIFFIN, OF MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

SHOE-UPPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 21, 1908.

Application filed September 25. 1907. Serial No. 394.428.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WAYNE M. GRIFFIN, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Manchester, in the county of Hillsboro, State of NewHampshire, have invented an Imrovement in Shoe-Uppers, of which thefolowing description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is aspecification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention pertains to uppers for boots and shoes and is designed toprovide a substantially seamless upper having the same excellence ofshape and fit as those having a plurality of assembled parts.

The invention comprehends an upper for boots and shoes, and the blankfrom which the upper is formed.

In order that the principles of the invention may be more readilyunderstood, I have disclosed a single type or embodiment in the accomany drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a plan of the blank from which theupper embodying my invention may be formed; Fig. 2 represents the upperafter the flies have been positioned; and Fig. 3 represents a sideelevation of a shoe embodying my invention.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the blank from which a shoeupper embodying my invention may be formed is represented at 1 (Figs. 1and 2). I contemplate forming the body or forward portion of the upper,the flies and the tongue from one integral piece. To that end and in theselected embodiment of my invention, I longitudinally slit the blank 1along suitable lines 2 and 3 (see Fig. 1) to substantially the points 4and 5 to provide the tongue 6, the contour of which may be of anydesired type. Therefore the path or direction of the lines of cut 2 and3 depends upon the type of tongue that is desired. By slitting the blankalong the lines 2 and 3, I thereby form the inner or securing edges ofthe flies 7 and 8. In order to provide free lower or forward ends forthe said flies 7 and 8, I cut the blank at or adj acent the base of thetongue along a transverse line preferably and generally speakingsubstantially normal to that of the axis of the tongue.

In the present embodiment of my invention such transverse cut iseffected by extending the cuts 2 and 3 from the points 4 and 5 laterallyor toward the side edges of the blank to any suitable point, such asindicated at 9 and 10 in Fig. 1, such prolongation of the cuts 2 and 3being herein indicated as extending in a direction substantially normalto the direction of the cuts 2 and 3 at or adjacent the base of thetongue 6. The cuts extending between the points 4 and 9 and 5 and 10should to secure the best results be as short as possible consistentwith the formation of a sufficient forward or free edge of the flies andshould be such as to preserve unimpaired the main or body portion of theflies 7 and 8. Having thus fashioned a bfank as indicated in Fig. 1 Ipreferably, and in the present type of the invention, crimp or stretchthe blank at the zones 11, 12 and 13, in? dicated in Fig. 1, the zones11 and 13 forming substantially continuations of the horizontal cutpreviously described as extending between the points 4 and 9 and 5 and10, and the zone 12 being formed in the forward portion of the upperalong the line of the axis of the tongue 6.

By crimping the blank along the zones indicated, the flies 7 and 8 arelaterally displaced inwardly or toward each other, so that the forwardends of said flies 7 and 8, which extend respectively between the points4 and 9 and 5 and 10, are superposed upon or overlie the opposite edgeof the said horizontal out, as indicated at the points 14 and 15 in Fig.2.

It will be apparent that by the described construction and mode ofoperation but a very slight and almost negligible raw edge is presentupon the inner surface of the shoe. The inwardly displaced flies 7 and 8are secured in their described position in any suitable manner, as byshort lines of stitching 16 and 17, which should terminate at such innerpoints 18 and 19 as to leave a portion of the forward or lower ends ofthe flies 7 and 8 unattached to that portion of the upper that they aresuperposed upon, thereby permitting the ready opening up of the fliesand the insertion of the foot of the wearer into the completed shoe.

It will be observed that by the practice of my invention, I am enabledto provide a shoe having but a negligible raw inner edge and one inwhich the lines of stitching 16 and 17 exist upon such portion of theshoe that no discomfort is given the wearer. Inasmuch as the tongue isintegral with the body of the upper, I avoid a seam along the base ofthe tongue, which in a new shoe occasions dlscomfort.

' forth in the following claims.

bodiment of my invention, I desire it to be It is apparent that while myinvention is particularly applicable to the type of shoe known asbluchers, it may also be employed with advantage in other styles offootwear, as for example, Oxfords and boots, and that the tongue 6 maybe a bellows tongue or of any suitable type. It is moreover apparentthat the toe 20 of the boot or shoe may be a separate piece secured inany suitable man ner to the upper or may be integral therewith, as willbe apparent to those skilled. in the art.

Having thus described one type or emunderstood that although specificterms are employed, they are used in a descriptive and generic sense andnot for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being setClaims.

1. A seamless shoe comprising an upper composed of a single piecelongitudinally slitted to form the inner or securing edges of the fliesand having a tongue formed integral therewith, the upper being outtransversely of its length adjacent the base of the tongue to form lowerforward ends only for the said flies, said transverse out terminating atsaid lower forward ends of said flies, the said lower ends beingpositioned to overlie the opposite edge of the transverse cut andsecured to the forward or body portion of the upper for a ortion only ofthe extent of the forward en s of such flies, thereby permitting theopening up of the flies 2. A seamless shoe comprising an upper composedof a single piece longitudinally slitted to form the inner or securingedges of the flies and having a tongue formed integral therewith, theupper being cut transversely of its length adjacent the base of thetongue to form lower forward ends only for said flies, said transversecut terminating atsaid lower forward end of said flies, the said upperbeing crimped upon opposite sides along aXi-al lines formingsubstantially opposite continuations of said transverse out, said lowerends of said flies being positioned to overlie the opposite edge of thetransverse out and secured thereto only at and closely adjacent oppositeends of said transverse out, thereby leaving the inner portions of thelower ends of said flies unattached to said opposite edges of thetransverse out.

3. A seamless shoe comprising an'upper composed of a single piecelongitudinally slitted to form the inner or securing edges of the fliesand having a tongueformed integral therewith, the upper being cuttransversely of its length adjacent the base of the tongue to form lowerforward ends only for said flies, said transverse cut terminating atsaid lower forward end of said flies, the said upper being crimped uponopposite sides' along aXial lines forming substantially opp0- sitecontinuations of said transverse cut, and also crimped alonga lineforming an extension of the tongue, said lower endsof said flies beingpositioned to overlie the opposite edge of the transverse cut andsecured thereto only at and closely adjacent opposite ends of saidtransverse cut, thereby leaving the inner portions of the lower ends ofsaid flies unattached to said opposite edges of WAYNE M. GRIFFINvlNitnesses:

SUsIE A. FRANCIS, H. C. WooDwARD.

